Steering gear



April 1, 1930. L. VAN H. ARMSTRONG 3,

STEERING GEAR I Filed A 2, 1928 2 Sh e QtS -Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR ligggd JZZIMmd 001 2 HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STTfi usa e LLOYD VAN HORN ARMSTRONG, OF UPPER Iv'IONTGLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION NEW JERSEY STEERING GEAR Application filed August 2, 1928. Serial No. 297,033.

tus, that is fully and quickly responsive to operations of the steering control. Towards this end the invention contemplates a power driven steering control that may supersede the conventional steering gear of an engine driven craft, while at the same time permitting the craft to be steered manually by the conventional apparatus if so desired.

lVith these and many other objects in view, which will more readily be apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts to be more fully described,illustrated and claimed.

One embodiment of the invention. is shown in the accompanying two sheets of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in sectionof a steering control apparatus manufactured in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the actual steering control,

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are plan views of the steering control and itsoperative connection with the valve of the steering motor. these views, certain parts are broken away to more clearly reveal the nature of the invention, and also to render the same diagrammatic in their effect.

In each of the above mentioned views like characters of references are employed to designate like parts throughout, and the deck or support of the steering apparatus is designated at 10. Supported on a pair of standards 11 is the conventional barrel 12 to which is keyed the drum 13 carrying the ruddershown at 16 and is secured in any suitable manner to the barrel 12. The above mentioned parts are purely conventional in design and no claim is made as to the novelty of the same which resides in the particular power driven mechanism for operating the conventional steering gear thus far described.

Secured to the deck is a bracket 17 in which is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a central rod 18having a bevel gear 19 keyed thereto at 20, and having a ratchet 21 secured adjacent its upper end. The upper end of this rod 18 is pivotally secured in a bracket 22, through which it extends, this bracket beingsecured to one of the standards 11. A smallindicator 2t is squared on the shaft 18 above the bracket 22 and this indicator is adapted to register with graduations 25 on the bracket 22. A hollow rotatable shaft 26 surrounds a portion of the shaft 18 and this shafthas a lateral control lever 27 formed integral therewith, to which is pivoted a manually operated lever 29 carrying a pawl 21 which is a counterpart of the ratchet 21. y v

The lower end of the shaft 26 is provided with a lateral lug 30 having a downward extending pin 31that extends into slots in a valve mechanism to be more fully described.

A reversible motor is designated at M and this motor may be operated by compressed air, steam, or any other fluid pressure. a It is also within the scope of the present invention to operate thismotor by electricity, if so desired. This motor has a valve chamber 82 offset with respect to the shaft 26 to accomodate a reversing valve (not shown) having a stem'33 thereon. This stem 33 hasa lateral which the pin 31 extends. While these'slots may be formed in any suitable manner,- it is preferable to form them as shown in Figs. 4c, 5 and 6, there being a central slot 40 connected to a pair of curved branched slots 41 and 42, diverging'from each other, and having curvatures substantially equal to the distanceafrom the central shaft18 to the pin 31.

.Thus it will be seen that as the'shaft 26 is rotated in one direction or the other, the

barrel, whereby movement of said first mentioned shaft setting said motor and barrel into operation will be transmitted through said means to said second shaft and through said releasable connection to return said first mentioned shaft to its original position and close said valve.

l. A follow up control apparatus for imparting predetermined angular movements to a driven shaft, of a power shaft connected to said driven shaft and a reversible motor for driving the same, a manually operative rotary valve for said motor adapted to control the directional movements of the same;

a plate on said valve having a slot therein and means slidable in said slot responsive to minute directional movements of the driven V shaft for automatically closing the valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

LLOYD VAN HORN ARMSTRONG. 

